HMV goes bust: where consumers stand on gift vouchers

15 January 2013

With HMV going into administration this week Citizens Advice explains where consumers stand if they have gift vouchers.

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

"When a trader goes bust it's really confusing for its customers and many people can lose out as a result. However, there are things you can do. If you do have an HMV gift card then keep hold of it - the administrators may begin to accept them again in the future.

“You can ask the administrators to add you to the store's list of creditors, but realistically most consumers will be a long way down the list because what they’re owed is less than other creditors.

"If you bought someone vouchers as a gift and paid on a credit or debit card then you could be protected under rules which make your card provider jointly liable for any problems. Contact them directly to see if you can get the money back.

“For advice on how to add yourself to a list of creditors or make a claim under joint liability rules, go to www.adviceguide.org.uk or call our consumer service on 08454 04 05 06."

Notes to editors:

The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website.

The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers

Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014 service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends

Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.